Recommendations for Employers In Implementing Office Ergonomics

Purpose

• Achieve compliance with Occupational Health and Safety requirements
• Pursue compliance with CSA Standard, Z412-17 Office Ergonomics – An application standard for Workplace Ergonomics
• Enhance the overall health and well-being of employees.
• Minimize absences
• Optimize employee performance, retention, engagement and job satisfaction.

​Recommendations

• Obtain leadership commitment and engagement in Office Ergonomics and Employee Wellness. 

 

• Identify hazards in the workplace.  

 

• Establish means of delivering training on office ergonomic risks and best practices;
  • Self-guided modules or videos
  • Group training sessions (in-house or outside)
  • One on One
    • External Ergonomic Consultant
    • Internal rep who has received training on Ergonomics  

           **Must consider both existing staff and how to train new staff as they come on board.

• Ensure that every employee is working within the ergonomic guidelines, i.e., has equipment that is suitable to their stature and is being utilized appropriately.
  • For existing employees;
    • Self-assessed by the training and resources they’ve been provided
    • Internal rep who has received training in Ergonomics
    • External Ergonomic Consultant
  • For new employees;
    • Should be a part of onboarding, within first day or two in position

 

• Address any gaps in ergonomic equipment immediately.

 

• Respond immediately, with an ergonomic consult, if any employee reports the development of work related symptoms.

 

• Ensure an ergonomic consult has been competed for anyone returning to work from injury and refresh training to optimize successful return to work.

 

• Ensure that an ergonomic professional is part of any process to obtain new equipment or workspaces.

 

• Monitor and manage that employees are engaging in appropriate ergonomic practices.